The Arrival (at last!) Of Tabitha Cerys King
-by Joanne
King. Also read Joanne's first child's homebirth
story.
Tabitha Cerys King
8th September 2002, 2:29am
Tabitha's due date was the 14th August, but due
to the midwives being twitchy when I had my first
baby (Ethan) at 41weeks + 1 day I told a fib about
the date, and said that this baby was due on the
21st. As it turned out that was a good idea, as
Tabitha decided it was far to comfy on the inside
and decided she didn't want to be born until 43weeks
+ 3 days (and then she needed some persuasion!)
For a couple of weeks before Tabitha was born,
I‘d have a run of nights where I would have
contractions in the early evening, that would
amount to nothing. I was always so fed up after
them because with Ethan I had two nights of contractions
before the big event, so kept assuming she was
going to appear at any moment. The amount of mornings
I woke up thinking- "tonight's the night!"
When I got to 43 weeks (or 42 as the midwives
thought) they asked if I would be induced, which
I declined, but I did agree that I would go in
for monitoring of the baby. Everything was fine
and the Consultant was happy for me to come back
in two days time for monitoring again, in fact
I didn't even see her so didn't get a lecture.
I went in again for monitoring at 43weeks and
2 days, and again the baby was fine. Unfortunately
I had a very twitchy midwife (Gayle) who was adamant
I see the Consultant and asked that I wait on
the CTG machine until she arrived (which turned
out to be an hour and a half!). The Consultant
wasn't free in the end, so I saw a Senior Registrar
who asked why I refused to be induced (that's
what Gayle had told her)- I explained that I wasn't
"refusing" just "declining"
at the present moment. She asked my reasons and
I explained that I thought the risks of being
induced i.e. cascade of intervention etc. vs.
carrying on with the pregnancy when the baby and
I were well was not one worth taking. She was
fine about it and even agreed with me!- She asked
if she could perform a sweep to see if that might
get things going. I agreed and a very thorough
sweep was performed. She also asked that I go
in for monitoring again the next day.
I drove home and picked up Ethan and took him
home, and for the rest of the afternoon felt very
crampy, but otherwise fine. Whilst Ethan was asleep
at lunchtime I spent time working on the points
on my leg my Reflexologist had shown me, and when
Ethan woke up I took him on a long walk to the
park and had a go on the slide myself. The rest
of the day passed without anything else happening
and I went to bed not really expecting anything
to happen.
Boy was I wrong- at 2.44am on the 7th September,
I was woken by an enormous contraction, that started
them coming every 10 minutes, after that first
one they weren't overly painful just irritating,
but I couldn't keep still through them, so couldn't
do back to sleep. The contractions continued every
10 minutes getting a little more painful, until
about 4.30am when I woke my husband Philip and
asked him to attach my TENS machine (he wasn't
very happy about being woken!), the TENS machine
helped and meant I could lie down and sleep a
little for a couple of hours until about 6.30am,
when I couldn't stay still any longer and went
downstairs to get some breakfast.
At around 7.30am, I had to go to the toilet and
had diarrhea, which made the contractions stop
for about half an hour, but by 8.00am they were
back and a little stronger. I phoned the hospital
to tell the midwives I was in early labour, but
that I was fine, and was thrilled when Angela
phoned back as she was one of my favourite midwives.
She said she would come round at about 10.30am
to see how I was doing and if I wanted her any
earlier to phone again.
So I went upstairs took Philip a cup of tea and
got Ethan out of bed, and then decided to have
a shower and wash my hair, which made me feel
a lot fresher. At around 9.30am I called my sister
Samantha who was going to look after Ethan and
asked her to come over.
Contractions were still only every 10 minutes,
and bearable if I walked and breathed through
them. I then decided it would be a good idea if
I made some muffins so we would have something
to eat once the baby had arrived, so Ethan helped
me make some berry muffins, which took quite a
while, what with him helping and me having contractions!
10.30am and I got a call from Angela who said
she had been held up at the hospital and was going
to send Gayle (twitchy midwife) over to see me
L. I wasn't thrilled about that, but consoled
myself with the fact she was only coming to check
me over and then go.
We asked Samantha if she would take Ethan to
the shop to stock up on some supplies, and whilst
he was gone I decided I liked the peace and quiet,
so asked Samantha when they got back to take him
to hers and keep him over night should it be necessary.
Whilst Ethan was out and we were waiting for
Gayle, Philip painted my toenails for me, and
as he finished Gayle arrived at around 11.00am
and did a mini antenatal check and said that everything
was fine, and to call again when the contraction
were coming every 5 minutes.
I kind of assumed I would be calling back in
a couple of hours time, but Tabitha thought otherwise!
The contractions continued all day at 10 minutes
apart, mostly bearable but I was getting frustrated
and tired and I couldn't keep still during them.
At around 2.00pm I had a bath, which slowed them
down a little and I managed to get some sleep
for about half and hour once I got out of the
bath.
It had now got to 4.30pm and I was getting cabin
fever and wanted to go out for a while, bit didn't
feel like walking so we went for a drive in the
car (which at the time seemed like a good idea!),
at first it was fine, if not a little uncomfortable
during contractions. We stopped after about 10
minutes driving for an icecream from a local van,
which was a nice distraction and then continued
on with the drive for about another 30 minutes,
when my contractions decided to pick up a bit
and starting coming every 7 minutes (perhaps she
was telling me something, perhaps she didn't want
to be born at home after all!), so we headed home.
It was now around 5.30pm and the contractions
were still coming every 5-7 minutes and were picking
up in strength, so Philip put some potatoes in
the oven for dinner and we started formally timing
the contractions- in fact Philip wrote them down
on a piece of paper! Whilst dinner was cooking,
I gave my sister a call to find out how Ethan
was, as I missed him terribly (which is mad because
if he had been there he would have been driving
me insane) but got so emotional when I heard his
voice I couldn't talk to him and had to give the
phone to Philip.
We ate dinner at around 6.30pm and I then decided
that the contractions were becoming serious (or
so I thought because I started to get a pain in
my bladder during contractions that I had had
with Ethan, but the pain didn't start until I
was nearly ready to push with him) so called the
midwife at 7.00pm. I got a call back from the
hospital saying that Angela wouldn't be able to
come out after all and that it would be Gayle
instead, which I again wasn't thrilled about.
At around 7.45pm Gayle arrived bringing all her
stuff with her, she asked if I had any idea where
I wanted to deliver so that she could set it all
up, I explained that I was to deliver downstairs
and I wanted to stay upright during second stage,
as I'd had some bad back and pelvis problems after
the birth of Ethan when I had been lying down
on my side/back.
So Gayle set everything up and started on her
paperwork. When she had finished, she asked if
I wanted an exam, which I agreed to and it found
I was 4cm dilated, which I was a little disappointed
with, but thought that things would start hotting
up soon.
Contractions continued getting stronger, but
not a lot closer together and by this time it
was around 9.00pm, I told Philip to go to bed
as I thought this may go on for some time- O how
right that prediction was!
After Philip had gone to bed the contractions
continued getting stronger and starting to come
in multiples, i.e. 2-3 contractions at a time
and then a few minutes break. Around this time
to I started to get immense pain in my bladder
with each contraction, and the only way to relieve
it was to jump down the stairs one at a time during
a contraction. I found during this time I really
wanted to be on my own, so was wandering all round
the house, but often gravitated towards Ethan's
bedroom or my bedroom.
At around 10.30pm the second midwife from the
hospital arrived (Jenny). I knew I wouldn't know
the second midwife, as the hospital had a couple
of midwives that wanted to attend homebirths,
and I had agreed that this was fine. The only
thing I found a problem was that I couldn't remember
her name and had to keep apologising and asking
her what it was, afterwards when I was saying
to Philip how embarrassing it was to have to ask
her twice what her name was, he said that I had
asked a few more times than twice!
Contractions continued like this but never got
closer together or intensified, but did come in
greater multiples i.e.. 4-5 contractions at a
time. It got to around midnight and the contractions
were still coming so Gayle asked if I would have
another vag exam which I agreed to, this time
I was 6cm and she was not happy about it at all
and started muttering about transferring (which
I ignored), she then asked if she could break
my waters, which I ummed and ared about for a
while, but agreed to. My waters were broken, and
they were clear and there wasn't much of them.
After that had happened I decided I did want to
give birth on my bed again and not downstairs,
so Gayle and I lugged everything upstairs.
(Looking back on my notes I also notice that
the baby had turned occiput posterior after my
waters were broken, after starting right occiput
anterior, which Gayle never mentioned- methinks
that might of helped to tell me that!)
After my waters had been broken, the contractions
got much much stronger and I was really vocalising
during contractions and having to jump down each
step with some vigor, Philip woke up and complained
that my stomping had woken him!
Contractions carried on getting stronger and
stronger, and still coming in multiples, when
it got to around 1am. I was getting to the "I
can't do this anymore stage" and asked quite
politely for some entonox, Gayle told me she didn't
have any!!!!!!- to which I very nearly screamed
"well get some then"- but politely asked
if someone could please obtain some. So Jenny
left for the hospital to collect it.
Whilst we were waiting for Jenny to get back
with the entonox Gayle suggested that I try having
a bath and doing some breathing exercises with
her, which I readily agreed to. Philip was dispatched
to the kitchen for a jug (which he looked rather
bemused about, I don't know what he thought he
was going to have to do with it!). I got in the
bath and Philip poured water over my bump during
contractions while Gayle got me to focus on the
contraction and my breathing- whilst this did
help a little, it wasn't as good as the entonox
was goner be I was sure!
Jenny arrived back at 1.50am and I got out of
the bath at some speed and got onto my bed leaning
over the birthing ball, I was given the entonox
mouthpiece, felt the contraction coming and took
what I thought was going to be a blissful first
breath, but the canister was empty ahhhhhhhhhhhh,
so I complained loudly and there was a swift changing
of mouthpieces to the other cylinder ready for
the next contraction. I then spun off with the
entonox for about 20 minutes worth of contractions.
At around 2.20pm I had the most terrible urge
to fart! And was obviously muttering something
to this effect because Gayle said well it's not
really surprising, I can see the head, that was
news to me! But with the next contraction I got
a slight urge to push which I ignored as long
as I could, and then gave a little push which
propelled Tabitha forward at some speed, Gayle
said the baby had a lot of hair and asked if I
wanted to touch the head, yuck was my reply and
I pushed again.
With the next contraction her head started to
crown (which was totally painless) and Gayle asked
me to breathe through the contraction whilst the
head came out, as with Ethan once the head had
been born the body shot out, not bothering to
wait for the next contraction.
As Tabitha was born onto our bed someone asked
the time and I looked at the bedside clock and
shouted TWO TWENTY NINE quite jubilantly!
Tabitha's cord was really short, so I couldn't
pick her up and I could only see her head and
chest between my legs, so Philip was told to look
and tell me what we had- a little girl, Tabitha
Cerys, I was so emotional I didn't know what to
say, I thought I was goner cry if I opened my
mouth.
It was a real pain, her having such a short cord,
because I was having a physiological third stage
and didn't want to have the cord cut until it
had stopped pulsing, so I had to stay kneeling
upright with Tabitha between my legs for a couple
of minutes until her cord was cut (by Gayle, neither
Philip or I wanted to), and then at last I could
pick her up and cuddle her, whilst we were waiting
for the placenta which arrived around 10 minutes
later.
Philip then helped Jenny to weigh her (8lb 6oz/3900g),
measure (length 53cm) and check Tabitha over-
APGAR's 9,10 & 10, whilst Gayle checked me
over. Gayle asked if we had a little torch to
check for tears, and I said there was little pen
light in bedside cupboard, but of course no one
could find it. Philip then produced from the wardrobe
one of the those huge 6 battery Maglights for
her to use, the thing was like a search light,
O how dignified!- but it did it's job and I had
only a tiny graze.
After all this was done, I got in the bath with
Tabitha, who then wanted to feed, so I settled
back for her first breastfeed, after half an hour
I thought she must be finished soon, but no she
wanted to carry on, but the bath water was getting
cold and the midwives wanted to go home, so I
passed her out to get dried and dressed, I then
dried off and got into bed, were Tabitha started
to be feed again, and in fact carried on for TWO
hours, finishing at 5.30am (so glad I got out
of the bath when I did!).
It was then time for a little sleep, before phoning
everyone to tell them the news. My sister was
so emotional, I said "What do you think we
got then", and she replied"I know it's
another boy but I don't mind at all" "um
guess again I said", she then got all tearful
and started blubbering about how wonderful it
was, after we put the phone down Philip said "what
on earth was she going on about stripy tights
for?" "ahh a girl thing" I answered!
-Joanne King
|
